Some snags are intrinsic in our administrative system. And that is what defeats the well-conceived schemes even before take-off. Of all such schemes, the conservation of the water bodies is worst hit. In spite of pumping billions of rupees in the schemes for conservation of the water bodies, the state cannot claim of having saved even one water body. In 1947 the state had inherited pristine water bodies and lush green forests, but over a period of seventy years corruption, bad-planning and wrong prioritization have taken toll of them beyond redemption. Of all the water bodies in the state, the worst hit have been the lakes and freshwater lagoons in the summer capital of the state. Couple of shimmering lakes that enchanted travellers have already become swamps. The classic examples are those of the Anachar Lake and Khushalsir. Lack of accountability in the administration and total apathy of people at the top is responsible for the death of these lakes; fed by thousands of springs and the waters from the Sindh Nallah. The twin lakes, Nageen and Dal, despite intervention by the highest court in the state, and appointing a monitoring cell, there is question mark on their survival because of unimpeded encroachments. So far, despite creating a separate agency for the conservation of the water bodies the state has largely failed even restoring some important springs and lagoons. The brazen examples of the apathy that on daily basis stares the top state bureaucracy in its face is the Brari Nambal lagoon that is on the verge of extinction. Since the execution of the ill-conceived and politically motivated plan, filling up the six-hundred-year-old Mar Canal, various state agencies have been claiming of persevering this water body that connects Dal Lake with river Jhelum. Ostensibly huge money has been spent for its revival but facts are contrary. It has become a foul puddle. Despite the state government having announced a slew of measures four years back for protecting once beautiful lagoon nothing has been done. The government without further ado need to provide required funds for saving the water body.
Save the water body
